On The Same Page discussion

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "I'll be interested in your final thoughts on The Caves of Steel. I loved the book and the series. Leigh Bardugo is a new author for me. I've got Six of Crows on my bookshelf. Have a gr..."

It's been awhile but as I recall, the settings were so neat and Elijah Bailey is a great character.

Ahh Lea, just when I put Krakauer to rest you make me think I should give him another chance.

A great January

1- audible books absolutely count, or I'd be lost these days :-)

2 - I have only read two books by Harlan Coben and really liked both. He's a focus I'm hoping to partake in this year

3 - Broken is being constantly recommended to me on book sites and apparently there's a reason

4 - I thought I'd read We Are the Brennans but once I looked I realized I was wrong - moving into priority.

5 - I've read Into the Wild and Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town and they were both worth it. I had no idea about some of his others and now I will investigate - always a good move.

Looking forward to your thoughts over your reads in February

Bill wrote: "It's been awhile but as I recall, the settings were so neat and Elijah Bailey is a great character."

I liked Lije quite a lot, and was a bit surprised, I had expected a different ending. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I can't believe I'm actually reading and enjoying Asimov's work. Maybe Foundation series will be in my future. :-)

Michelle wrote: "Ahh Lea, just when I put Krakauer to rest you make me think I should give him another chance."

Hey, don't resurrect Krakauer if he's not to your taste. :-) There are plenty of good authors out there.

Kim. E. wrote: "A great January

1- audible books absolutely count, or I'd be lost these days :-)

2 - I have only read two books by Harlan Coben and really liked both. He's a focus I'm hoping to partake in this year

3 - Broken is being constantly recommended to me on book sites and apparently there's a reason

4 - I thought I'd read We Are the Brennans but once I looked I realized I was wrong - moving into priority.

5 - I've read Into the Wild and Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town and they were both worth it. I had no idea about some of his others and now I will investigate - always a good move.

Looking forward to your thoughts over your reads in February"

A former co-worker has been responsible for Harlan Coben in my life, she keeps giving me his books and asks regularly if I've read them. I think that's what friends are for. :-)

If you don't want to read the entire book Broken, do not miss out on Chapter 12B!!! Just skip ahead if you aren't loving the rest.

Hope you enjoy We are the Brennans! And anything by Krakauer that you decide to to investigate and read. I hope I'm not recommending things that others won't like...

Looking forward to seeing your book choices for February too. So far, it's been a good month...

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "It's been awhile but as I recall, the settings were so neat and Elijah Bailey is a great character."

I liked Lije quite a lot, and was a bit surprised, I had expected a different endi..."

Then you'll have to try Fantastic Voyage and some of his Casebooks of the Black Widowers.. :)

February Mid Month Report

Books Read: 8 books this month and 23 year to date

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 19/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Books 0/11, and 19/82

Books from 12+4 Challenge: 2/16

Recently Finished:

Shadow and Bone - I went off list and started a new series for me. I had mixed thoughts about it. It was the second book I've read by Leigh Bardugo. I thought Ninth House was more original and complex, but I enjoyed the world of Shadow and Bone a little bit more. I liked Alina as a character, but I wasn't blown away by the story line. I will likely finish the series. 3 STARS

The Caves of Steel - This is a full length novel by Isaac Asimov in the Robots series, and is a detective novel. Elijah Bailey is a detective and he has been partnered up with a robot to solve a murder. Of course, people are afraid of robots and their use on earth has been restricted. I enjoyed this book. 3.5 STARS

My Soul Sings - A third book in a series, and by far, the worst one! It's basically a story about a town in Arkansas that bullies one of their own until a stranger comes to help the preacher and show them the error of their ways. It's an important story line, but it was just done super poorly. 1.5 STARS

The Henna Artist - A buddy read with Alissa and Carolien. I really liked the story. As frustrated as I was with Radha, she was the catalyst to some things that ultimately made a difference in many people's lives. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. 4 STARS

Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman - After all that discussion about Jon Krakauer, I do think this book is my least favorite written by him. That said, I still really really liked it. It was a tough read and made me angry. It's mostly well researched and I learned things I didn't know before. It made me reconsider my viewpoints on several things. And I will likely read the next book he writes - he is such a great author. 3 STARS

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family - This was a buddy read with Alissa and Ioana, and wow, this book packed a punch. It was a hard read, about a family that suffered from quite a few members diagnosed with Schizophrenia. I'm so glad I read this book. 4.5 STARS

People We Meet on Vacation - Unpopular viewpoint...this book wasn't for me, but I think many other people will absolutely love it. It's a story about two friends who haven't talked in two years. They used to go on vacation every year together and almost immediately after two years of silence, decide to go again. I have several problems with this story, but my main one is that the issues between the characters could have been easily resolved and would have for sure been resolved if the main characters had truly been best friends and truly had each other's best interests at heart. 2 STARS

Mr. Knightley's Diary - I decided not to read Emma before reading this book, because I was sure there would be differences, I don't know how you could write this book today without some allowance for differences. I liked the book, but there wasn't anything too ground breaking there. 2.5 STARS

Currently reading:

Daughter of the Deep
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Summer Morning, Summer Night
Holy Bible: New International Version

Progress on the Whack-a-Mole Series Situation –

Series Completed this year (for the moment...):
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (1)
2. Lore Olympus (1)
3. Sweet Sanctuary (2)

Series Started This Year with Books Remaining:
1. Shadow and Bone (2)
2. The Henna Artist (1)
3. Charlie Bucket (2)

Series Started Last Year with Books Remaining:
1. Robot (3)
2. Greentown (1)

Series That Added Books This Year with number of books I still need to read in that series:
1. Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez (6)

Series That Added Books Last Year with number of books I still need to read in that series: (so you can see how I really made no progress!)
1. Ender's Universe (5)
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz (1)
3. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid (10)
4. Xanth (39)
5. Stephanie Plum (7)

Series that added books this year that I'm abandoning, until I change my mind and read them anyway:
1. Crescent City

You're having an excellent month. Glad you enjoyed The Caves of Steel. For some reason I thought Elijah Bailey was the robot. It's been so long since I read it mind you.. lol

I thought of you earlier, went to the shop for a bottle of milk and they had a table with second hand books for sale obviously had to stop and look and one of the books was Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

What an interesting reading month you are having! I absolutely agree on People We Meet on Vacation. It was all too contrived. Also, terrible and misleading title. I felt similarly about Shadow and Bone but have not been inclined to pick up the next book. There just wasn't any depth to the story. I'm trying to ignore anything you say about Krakauer Jon.

Lea wrote: "February Mid Month Report

Books Read: 8 books this month and 23 year to date

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 19/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Books 0/11, and 19/82

Books from 12+4 Challenge: 2/16

R..."

My least favorite Krakauer book was Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. While I was not a fan of Pat Tillman the man, I liked the book and learned a lot from it.

Bill wrote: "You're having an excellent month. Glad you enjoyed The Caves of Steel. For some reason I thought Elijah Bailey was the robot. It's been so long since I read it mind you.. lol"

Haha, sounds like a re-read might be in order. The robot is R. Daneel Olivaw. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I thought of you earlier, went to the shop for a bottle of milk and they had a table with second hand books for sale obviously had to stop and look and one of the books was Diary of a Wimpy Kid!"

OK, Desley, confess. How many books did you buy when you stopped by the second hand book store??? :-) :-) :-)

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "You're having an excellent month. Glad you enjoyed The Caves of Steel. For some reason I thought Elijah Bailey was the robot. It's been so long since I read it mind you.. lol"

Haha, s..."

Of course.. Doh.. Each book was excellent as I recall. :0)

Michelle wrote: "What an interesting reading month you are having! I absolutely agree on People We Meet on Vacation. It was all too contrived. Also, terrible and misleading title. I felt similarly about Shadow and Bone but have not been inclined to pick up the next book. There just wasn't any depth to the story. I'm trying to ignore anything you say about Krakauer Jon"

Ignore the whole thing about Jon Krakauer. Our conversation never happened. There are plenty of other books clamoring for attention.

I'm hoping to pick up the second book in the Shadow and Bone series next month. If I don't, I will probably be like you and abandon the series, like I have so many others. :-)

Ioana wrote: "My least favorite Krakauer book was Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. While I was not a fan of Pat Tillman the man, I liked the book and learned a lot from it."

I learned a lot from Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman too, I really thought it was a good book. And I can see why Under the Banner of Heaven was your least favorite Krakauer book. There were certainly some moments in that book where I felt like he was sometimes blurring the lines between the LDS and the FLDS faiths, which is something that the LDS tries to avoid...and hence why there were so many problems accessing information. Anyway, I will probably pick up his next book too. There are some authors that just have an interesting perspective.

Great update Lea. Shadow and Bone was a cheap find at the bookstore and I really wanted to see where Grishaverse started.

I added Caves of Steel and the rest of series to my tbr. I, Robot wasn't perfect, but it was a great idea and a good story.

I 100% agree about People We Meet on Vacation, I felt it was such a disappointment. I'm hoping her next one, Book Lovers, will be much better!

Bill wrote: "Of course.. Doh.. Each book was excellent as I recall. :0)"

I am really enjoying the series, I'm so glad I picked it up! I'm really looking forward to reading the next book. I can't believe that I'm reading and enjoying Isaac Asimov and I'm super grateful that I hopped out of my comfort zone.

Alondra wrote: "Great update Lea. Shadow and Bone was a cheap find at the bookstore and I really wanted to see where Grishaverse started.

I added Caves of Steel and the rest of series to my tbr. I, Robot wasn't perfect, but it was a great idea and a good story."

Shadow and Bone was my first introduction to the Grishaverse, and I'm hoping to read the other books - I understand it gets better. There are a lot of them though, and not a lot of time.

I agree about I, Robot. I don't think any of the other books in the series are perfect either, but I did find the full length book to be more to my taste - I just felt like everything developed more. The short stories make one point or have one purpose and I felt the full book was a little more developed. I didn't like Elijah Bailey's wife, Jessie, though. She was annoying.

Alissa wrote: "I 100% agree about People We Meet on Vacation, I felt it was such a disappointment. I'm hoping her next one, Book Lovers, will be much better!"

I hope so too, I strongly preferred Beach Read, so I know Emily Henry can do it.

I am also thinking that this book title has the potential to match the story, so maybe Michelle will be happy. She always makes me laugh with her insightful comments about why Emily Henry's titles don't work with the rest of the book. :-) :-) :-)

Lea wrote: "Alissa wrote: "I 100% agree about People We Meet on Vacation, I felt it was such a disappointment. I'm hoping her next one, Book Lovers, will be much better!"

I hop..."


Let's just hope someone in the novel actually reads a book. The way she's going with these titles I suspect it will be about people who binge watch movies.

Michelle wrote: "Let's just hope someone in the novel actually reads a book. The way she's going with these titles I suspect it will be about people who binge watch movies."

I would not bet against you. :-)

Lea wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I thought of you earlier, went to the shop for a bottle of milk and they had a table with second hand books for sale obviously had to stop and look and one of the book..."


0! I've been really good this week, don't think I've bought a book

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "0! I've been really good this week, don't think I've bought a book"

Look at you! The next time you buy something, just remind yourself how restrained you were this week! :-)

Oh, I may have bought one actually. I did manage to spend a £40 refund quite well this week, mainly on Amazon, and some wax melts may have been ordered, not sure they will fit in my new storage though!

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Lea wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "I thought of you earlier, went to the shop for a bottle of milk and they had a table with second hand books for sale obviously had to stop and look and one..."

I haven't been quite so successful. I visited both the used book store and new book store in Courtenay yesterday (yes, I supported them) and today in Qualicum, I did the same.. lol Plus a couple of books I had on order arrived this week..

Well, at least you are helping businesses (that's what I tell myself when I go to the candle shop and coffee shop!)

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Oh, I may have bought one actually. I did manage to spend a £40 refund quite well this week, mainly on Amazon, and some wax melts may have been ordered, not sure they will fit in my new storage though!"

I'm embarrassed to say, I had to look up what wax melts are. :-)

I'm terrified of fire, so I never willingly light anything in my house.

And before you ask, no, I have never really burnt myself or anything else, there is no reason for my irrational anxiety regarding fires.

I wish I liked candles and candle adjacent stuff more, I understand it can be very relaxing and de-stressing for so many people.

I hope you enjoyed what you purchased, Desley.

Bill wrote: "I haven't been quite so successful. I visited both the used book store and new book store in Courtenay yesterday (yes, I supported them) and today in Qualicum, I did the same.. lol Plus a couple of books I had on order arrived this week.."

So, what are we all going to be reading very soon, Bill??? I hope you got some very good books! :-)

Michelle wrote: "Let's just hope someone in the novel actually reads a book. The way she's going with these titles I suspect it will be about people who binge watch movies.."


OMG I just realized that- you're absolutely right... Beach Read took place at a lake...

So yeah Book Lovers is probably about video games

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "I haven't been quite so successful. I visited both the used book store and new book store in Courtenay yesterday (yes, I supported them) and today in Qualicum, I did the same.. lol Plu..."

Well, of course, I did.. :0)

Alissa wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Let's just hope someone in the novel actually reads a book. The way she's going with these titles I suspect it will be about people who binge watch movies.."


OMG I just realized ..."

I know right! It's always really close so maybe they only play video games or watch movies based on books. They would really love to read books but they are too confused about their love life to actually read.

Bill wrote: "Well, of course, I did.. :0)"

Here we go! Looking forward to seeing what you read...

Michelle wrote: "I know right! It's always really close so maybe they only play video games or watch movies based on books. They would really love to read books but they are too confused about their love life to actually read."

I am laughing right now. We've got a book editor and a literary agent, per the blurb. And the literary agent has read ALL the books. :-) :-) :-) :-)

Lea wrote: "Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Oh, I may have bought one actually. I did manage to spend a £40 refund quite well this week, mainly on Amazon, and some wax melts may have been ordered, not sure they ..."

Funnily enough, while i love having scented things in the house, I am a bit scared of lighters and matches, I can only really use extra long ones

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Funnily enough, while i love having scented things in the house, I am a bit scared of lighters and matches, I can only really use extra long ones"

Me too. If there are only small matches around the house, I do have a metal contraption that was made for me that I can use to light a match, but I still get all nervous. It's silly.

February Month End Report

Books Read: 17 books this month and 32 year to date

Books from Filling in the Gaps: 24/100; 2020 Books 0/7, 2021 Books 0/11, and 24/82

Books from 12+4 Challenge: 3/16

Previously discussed:

Shadow and Bone
The Caves of Steel
My Soul Sings
The Henna Artist
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
People We Meet on Vacation
Mr. Knightley's Diary

Recently Finished:

The Tailor - An in between novel in the Shadow and Bone series from Genya's point of view. It didn't add a lot to the forward movement of the story arc, but it was helpful to understand her motivations. 3 STARS

Daughter of the Deep - This is Rick Riordan's new non-series that will most likely become a series. It's a sequel of sorts to 20000 Leagues Under the Sea which I am currently reading, but had not read at the time I read this book. That said, I didn't think this was his best. I felt like Rick Riordan really struggled without having magic to fall back on to move the plot forward, some of the sequences felt clunky to me. Others, particularly of the schools fighting one another, really felt a little too real for children to be in the middle of. 2 STARS

The Demon in the Wood - A very short side book prequel to help explain how the Darkling grew up. I wasn't very excited about this one. 2 STARS

The Witch of Duva - Another side story in the Grishaverse. It reads like a Russian folk tale. It was OK. 2 STARS

The Stranger - I read The Plague in high school, and remember really liking it. I wasn't as enthusiastic about The Stranger - a story about a man who is easy to dislike. His detachment makes him a very difficult person to fell empathy towards, and as such, what happens to him creates indifference on his part and on the part of the rest of society. The first part of the book was super boring to me, but the second part of the book was dark and depressing. It's well written. It causes me to think. But I don't agree with the author. Just because life is absurd sometimes, just because people try to proselytize their belief systems on me, just because people treat me different when they don't agree with me, does not mean that we should give up. 2.5 STARS

The Third Wheel - Another Diary of a Wimpy Kids book. This one has Greg and Rowley and Abigail going to the school dance together. That part was pretty funny, but the first part of the book where Greg could remember stuff pre-birth, didn't hit my funny bone. 2 STARS

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - First five star book of the year, I guess Alissa does know what books to recommend for me. This was the first book I read by Roald Dahl, and I enjoyed this even more than the movie. 5 STARS.

Summer Morning, Summer Night - Some of these short stories were great, some were OK, and some I was just glad that they were super short. 3 STARS

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur - The sequel to The Henna Artist. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, it was a fun sequel. However, whereas The Henna Artist kept me guessing how things might turn out, I didn't think there were many surprises in The Secret Keeper of Jaipur. I'm looking forward to reading the third book in this series. Reading about this place and that food really makes me want to travel again and keeps me hungry. 3 STARS

Currently reading:

20000 Leagues Under the Sea
Siege and Storm
Holy Bible: New International Version

Progress on the Whack-a-Mole Series Situation –

Series Completed this year (for the moment...):
1. A Court of Thorns and Roses (1)
2. Lore Olympus (1)
3. Sweet Sanctuary (2)
4. Greentown (2)
5. The Henna Artist (2)


Series Started This Year with Books Remaining:
1. Shadow and Bone (2)
2. Charlie Bucket (1)
3. Capitaine Nemo (2)

Series Started Last Year with Books Remaining:
1. Robot (3)

Series That Added Books This Year with number of books I still need to read in that series:
1. Mike Daley/Rosie Fernandez (6)

Series That Added Books Last Year with number of books I still need to read in that series: (so you can see how I really made no progress!)
1. Ender's Universe (5)
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz (1)
3. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid (9)
4. Xanth (39)
5. Stephanie Plum (7)

Series that added books this year that I'm abandoning, until I change my mind and read them anyway:
1. Crescent City

Book of the Month: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Least Favorite Book: My Soul Sings
Biggest Accomplishment: I know these are primary children's books and short stories, but have I really read 32 books already this year?
Biggest Surprise: Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family - I knew the book would be tough, but it's also one that has stayed with me.

You had a great month! I'm reading Hidden Valley Road right now for a library group that meets next week. It is really a heart-breaking book but also fascinating.
Happy Reading!

Patricia wrote: "You had a great month! I'm reading Hidden Valley Road right now for a library group that meets next week. It is really a heart-breaking book but also fascinating.
Happy Reading!"

It's hard to say I hope you enjoy Hidden Valley Road as much as I did, maybe better to say I hope you get as much out of Hidden Valley Road as I did. :-)

I remember enjoying Jules Verne's books in junior high... Neat adventures.

Great update, and wow! 32 books!!!
I have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the audiobook, maybe I should listen to it...

Lea wrote: "The Stranger - I read The Plague in high school, and remember really liking it. I wasn't as enthusiastic about The Stranger - a story about a man who is easy to dislike...."

Great update, Lea; but all the 2 stars are not so great. Sorry those books did not work for you.

After your review of The Stranger, I am definitely not reading it. I read The Plague as well, and did not like it. So, this lets me know to keep moving.

I hope March marches in some great books for you... (that pun was horrible, but i had to). LOL

Bill wrote: "I remember enjoying Jules Verne's books in junior high... Neat adventures."

I have never read any of them, so this is kind of fun. I have three of his books on my list, so now is the time to get them read! :-)

Ioana wrote: "Great update, and wow! 32 books!!!
I have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the audiobook, maybe I should listen to it..."

Yes! I listened to the audiobook and obviously, it worked for me. Of course, I love children's books. It does say something about me. LOL. :-)

Alondra wrote: "Great update, Lea; but all the 2 stars are not so great. Sorry those books did not work for you.

After your review of The Stranger, I am definitely not reading it. I read The Plague as well, and did not like it. So, this lets me know to keep moving.

I hope March marches in some great books for you... (that pun was horrible, but i had to). LOL"

Many of the books were very short (my page count is not nearly as impressive), and that tends to reduce the amount of stars they earn as well. There are so few authors that do the short story in a way that works for me. So, that's why my ratings are low. Well, that, and I'm a grumpy old lady. :-) :-) :-)

Yes! We are Marching into March with great books ahead. (I love the puns!) :-)

Lea wrote: "Bill wrote: "I remember enjoying Jules Verne's books in junior high... Neat adventures."

I have never read any of them, so this is kind of fun. I have three of his books on my list, so now is the ..."

I hope you enjoy them. Then find the old movies from the 60s; especially Journey to the Center of the Earth... Oh and listen to Rick Wakeman's musical adaptation of it.. ;0)

17 books this month?! That's fantastic. Haven't read any of your February books but now I have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on my radar. I've seen both versions of the movie but I think it'd be fun to read the original source. And you gave it 5 stars so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Have been flirting with starting Leigh Bardugo's earlier series since I did like Ninth House. I'll need to push it up further up the pile.

Lea wrote: "Many of the books were very short (my page count is not nearly as impressive), and that tends to reduce the amount of stars they earn as well. There are so few authors that do the short story in a way that works for me..."

Mmmm, have you read any of Stephen Kings short stories?? If yes, but they did nothing for you, then I recommend staying away from short stories. Some of the best writing from him has been novella or short story sized works. Like Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption:Hope Springs Eternal; and The Green Mile, which was a series of 6 short noir-style books.